Marcus Stewart reckons the Coca-Cola Championship has not yet begun to take shape.

Sunderland go into this weekend's blank fixture programme in 17th place after a disappointing start to the campaign, which has seen the Black Cats take just five points from their first six games.

The Wearsiders, however, are just one of several `big-name' clubs kicking around near the bottom of the table.

The three clubs newly relegated from the Premiership are traditionally considered favourites to go straight back up again.

Yet Leeds, Wolves and Leicester, relegated last season, are all below Sunderland!

While no club wants to be playing catch-up from the start, experienced pro Stewart has been around long enough to know there is still a long way to go.

He said: "It's very early on in the season and to a certain extent the teams are still feeling each other out. The sides who have come down from the Premiership have not found life easy but I do not think you will start to see the league table begin to take shape until about the 10-game mark.

"We made an average start over the first three games and we have not done quite so well in our last three games.

"We have not yet got into the swing of things but we will be up there at the end of the season, I am quite confident of that."

Stewart finished last season as Sunderland leading goalscorer in the league and he has already notched three this term, his partnership with Kevin Kyle continuing to bear fruit.

Stewart said: "I think our partnership is quite a strong one now.

"We scored 16 goals apiece last season and we have both bagged goals already this term.

"Kevin missed a lot of pre-season and that has affected him but he is back again now and has been playing well.

"I have always liked playing alongside a targetman and Kevin is brilliant in that role."